


Like My Man Cole Porter Said

by jannika



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-10-15
Packaged: 2017-11-19 17:16:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/575691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jannika/pseuds/jannika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Jazz Era AU in which Liam and Louis are college students who go out to listen to music one night and find themselves in speakeasy owned by Zayn, who has his reasons, supplied by Harry who has a reputation he probably doesn’t deserve and guarded by Niall who is entirely too friendly for his line of work, really. Liam is afraid they're going to get arrested, Harry plays the piano, Louis wants the world to change, Niall likes it when everyone is happy and Zayn keeps his guests happy. Or one of them, anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like My Man Cole Porter Said

**Author's Note:**

> Dusting off my Liam voice for this one. I've been trying to find time to down and write this one for weeks and I'm excited that I finally did. I apologize for any anachronisms here, I attempted to avoid them but I'm sure my Wikipedia research let me down in places. The research for this was delightful, though. (Did you know that crime jumped 24% percent in the major cities during the first year of prohibition? Oh- also of interest because I allude to him at one point here, [ William Haines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Haines).) Anyway, for all of you who read all of these, always, and for the Liam to my Zayn and my very favorite girl, [](http://folkloric-feel.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://folkloric-feel.livejournal.com/)**folkloric_feel**

Liam is sitting at his desk, attempting to solve chemistry problems while rubbing his fingers against the throbbing in his temples when Louis flounces into their one-room apartment, grinning. He throws his coat over the back of the couch, even though the couch is about three feet from the coat rack and even though Liam has repeatedly asked him to use it and not throw things on furniture. Louis walks over and shuts Liam's notebook with one hand and runs his fingers across Liam's shoulder with his other hand.

"We're going out on the town tonight, my friend," Louis announces.

"Are we?" Liam asks, blushing a little. He should really be used to this, to Louis and his refusal to hang things up or cook or dust. He should be used to Louis and his grand plans and his sweeping announcements and his complete disregard for personal space. He's not, though, not at all. It's been four years and Louis still surprises him just as much as he had the day they'd met.

"We are!" Louis says, he pulls another chair up and sits down next to Liam, legs brushing a little, the way they're always arranged if Louis can help it.

"I have work to do, and my head hurts," Liam says, even though he already knows he's going. Of course he's going. He's already thinking about which sweater he'll wear and trying to remember if he heard if it's going to rain.

"We are three months from graduating and then being shut up in offices for the rest of our lives. If there was ever a time to go listen to some music on a Wednesday, it is right now," Louis says.

"Music?" Liam asks.

"Yes, notes. Harmonies. Instruments. Music," Louis says, grinning.

"But my work," Liam attempts.

"Is probably not due for a week," Louis says. It is terribly unfair, really, how true that is. That Louis knows things like that with out being told.

"Music where?" Liam asks. Louis grins and puts a hand on Liam's knee.

"This little place a guy in my history seminar recommended. He says it's an absolute blast," Louis says. Liam sighs and gets up, shaking his head a little.

"I'll go get ready," he says.

***

It's not raining, but there is a line outside the door and a chill in the air. Liam bounces a little with his hands in coat pockets while they wait.

"We don't need tickets?" Liam asks. Louis shakes his head.

"Nope," Louis says, looking pleased with himself even though they haven't gotten in yet. There is a blond guy at the door, who looks friendlier than Liam would have thought a doorman would be, but he turns away the people in front of them for reasons Liam can't hear, and Liam starts to feel a little nervous. He doesn't know why people would be turned away. He wonders if there is something Louis isn't telling him.

"Hi, there!" Louis says, bright and full of energy when they reach the door.

"Hello," the doorman says, running his eyes over both of them like they're being inspected.

"I’m Louis, and this is Liam. My pal Aiden said this was the best place in town," Louis says. Liam is pretty sure that isn't customary, introducing yourself to doormen like this, but Louis would know better than he would, so he just nods. The doorman's face relaxes a little.

"We're not letting new faces in tonight, but if you're friends of Aiden, I can probably make an exception," the doorman says.

"That would be fantastic," Louis says.

"Thanks," Liam offers.

"Let me go double check," the doorman says. He ducks his head inside the door and yells something that gets lost in the music that swells up when the door opens.

"Not letting in new faces?" Liam whispers to Louis.

"Relax," Louis says.

"Okay, you can go in," the doorman says, turning back around and smiling at them, "I'm Niall, and you two seem decent. I'll see you in there later." He opens the door and lets them past, grinning the whole time, and Liam swallows down a nervous feeling he tells himself is ridiculous. They step through the door and Liam is overwhelmed by the sounds, the music, the piano jangling and a husky voice singing, the laughter following it, the people talking. The air is smoky and it takes Liam's eyes a minute to adjust, a minute before he gets images to go with the sounds. The images he gets make the nervous feeling return, more intense than ever. This place is- there are people dancing closer together than Liam has ever seen, there are men with their shirts unbuttoned too far and women whose skirts are too short and people are smoking and people are leaning against the piano, touching each other as they laugh, and people are drinking, throwing back glasses that smell strongly like alcohol.

"This is a _speakeasy_ ," Liam hisses.

"I know! Isn't it great?" Louis says.

"No!" Liam says.  
"It's amazing, look around!" Louis says, putting a hand on the small of Liam's back as he does and leading them towards some barstools.

"We could go to jail!" Liam says.

"We won't go to jail, Aiden says the cops never bust this place," Louis says.

"Just because they never have doesn't mean they never could!" Liam says. He could murder Louis right now. This is an absolutely terrible idea.

"It's just music and some dancing, Liam, it's fun," Louis says.

"It's not just music!" Liam says. Louis sighs,

"We're not going to jail, I promise," Louis says.

"You can't promise that!" Liam says.

"Look around, look at all of this, do you really want to be missing it?" Louis asks, gesturing over to a corner where two people are leaning together so close that is almost like a scene in one of the magazines Louis brings home sometimes, the ones that Liam is certain could also get them arrested, actually. The couple is whispering and touching and from this distance Liam can't tell if it is two men or a man and a woman with one of those high fashion new haircuts and wearing men's clothes the way he's seen some women in town doing lately. Either way, it makes him gulp again.

"I don't know what this is," Liam says, and he knows he's flushed.

"Look," Louis says again, this time pointing to the piano where they can now see that the guy playing is about their age with wild hair and a smile that seems to be for everyone in the room. He's singing and people seem mesmerized, hanging around the piano and on his every note.

"Found our resident celebrity?" a new voice asks. Liam and Louis turn around to see a dark-haired guy walking towards them, cigarette in one hand and drink in the other. He's looking at them like he knows a million things they don't, and something about him makes Liam's pulse race. It's shadowy enough that Liam can't quite make out all his features, just amused eyes and a slow forming smirk.

"Celebrity?" Louis asks.

"Harry Styles, live and in person," the dark-haired guy says.

"That's Harry Styles?" Louis asks, his voice filled with a delight Liam doesn't understand.

"Who?" Liam asks, a little lost. The guy smirks again, bigger this time and Louis sighs fondly.

"Harry Styles is the youngest bootlegger in the tri-state area, don't you read the paper?" Louis asks.

"He's a piano-playing bootlegger?" Liam asks.

"I don't know his personal life," Louis says.

"He is. He also sings sometimes, people get a huge kick out of it, plus having him here scares off the cops, and it's good to keep your supplier close," the guy says.

"This is your place?" Louis asks. The guy nods.

"It is. I'm Zayn, and you two are the new guys Niall let in. Friends of Aiden?" Zayn asks.

"That's us. I'm Louis and this is Liam," Louis says, grinning like he's really enjoying himself.

"Welcome," Zayn says, putting out his cigarette on the bar behind him.

"I'm going to go meet the Harry Styles," Louis says, bounding off before Liam can stop him.

"Louis!" Liam calls, but Louis has already made it to the piano, striking up a conversation like he talks to criminals every day.

"Can I get you a drink? On me," Zayn asks. Liam shakes his head rapidly.

"No, uh, no thanks," Liam says. Zayn grins.

"Not just your first time here, but anywhere, then?" Zayn asks. Liam nods.

"Yes," he says.

"No one here bites or anything, I promise," Zayn says. Liam tries to smile, but he knows it fails.

"Okay," he says, glancing over to where Louis is still talking to Harry, a hand on Harry's arm as he does. Zayn follows his gaze.

"He'll be fine. Harry's harmless," Zayn says.

"He's a bootlegger!" Liam squeaks out before he can help himself. He winces as he does- he doesn't really want Zayn to kick him out or anything for offending his profession or anything. Zayn just smirks again, though, and Liam's shoulders relax.

"He has his reasons," Zayn says. He reaches in to his pocket and pulls out a small silver cigarette case.

"Do you?" Liam asks, watching Zayn's hand and then wincing again. He's really not doing well here, but he's so very out of his element. He doesn’t know what Louis was thinking bringing them here.

"What do you think?" Zayn asks. He still doesn’t look angry. Liam would have thought illegal speakeasy owners had more of a temper.

"I don't, I mean I don't know you," Liam says. Zayn shakes his head and blows out a puff of smoke. Liam cannot figure out why Zayn is still talking to him, but he can't figure out anything about this night at all.

"You sure I can't get you a drink? You are sitting here, and your friend doesn’t look like he'll be leaving anytime soon," Zayn says. Liam looks away from the way Zayn's fingers are holding his cigarette and back to Louis, who is actually sitting on the piano bench with Harry now. Harry is laughing and yelling to the crowd that this is his last song before the real entertainment goes on, his eyes on Louis as he does. Liam swallows again.

"Don't you need to, I mean, this place is yours, don't you have things to manage?" Liam asks.

"That's why I only let in people I already know on most nights. It makes things run themselves fairly smoothly. I have more to do during the day when no one is here," Zayn says.

"You let us in," Liam says. Zayn sighs and leans over the counter behind Liam and makes a motion with his hand. Liam assumes that means the conversation is done and he goes back to staring at Harry and Louis, who are actually singing together while Harry plays now. Liam doesn't know how that could have happened so fast. He's surprised when Zayn touches his arm and he startles.

"Here," Zayn says, holding out a glass of something that smells strong and sticky. Liam shakes his head.

"I shouldn't," Liam says.

"You're already here," Zayn says. Over at the piano Harry stops and he and Louis get up, bowing to the crowd as they do. Niall walks in from over at the door a minute later, locking it as he does. He waves with his hand and nods in Zayn's direction and Zayn walks over to him, smiling at Liam one more time as he does. A three-piece band sets up on stage, a slow sultry jazz starts up that moves the crowd closer together, so close that Liam loses sight of Louis, of Zayn, of anyone whose name he knows at all. He sighs and brings the drink up to his mouth, take a lick of it with his tongue. It is strong, stronger than Liam remembers liquor being, but it's been a long time, so maybe he's remembering wrong. He takes a longer sip, wincing at the burn as it goes down.

***

That night, when they're finally home and Liam's head is swimming, Louis has more words for Harry than Liam has ever heard used to describe one person. They lay in the dark- the space between their small single beds is only about a foot, and some nights it feels like less than that, feels like they're actually sharing and Louis is just whispering in his ear. It's not a thought Liam likes to dwell on. Louis goes on until the sun is peeking in their window, and even through the haze in his head, Liam worries.

***

The next day Liam goes to the library and pulls out every newspaper he can, searching for news of Harry Styles. His heart sinks a little as he does. He reads story after story, and so many of them aren't about running alcohol at all, but about op-ed pieces about the many conquests Harry has apparently had, people writing about how a life of crime clearly lead to insatiable appetite for lovers. There are rumors of orgies, rumors of a different woman every night, rumors that he actually has six wives, rumors that sometimes men leave his house at odd hours too, rumors and scandals that local paper seems to eat up. Liam reads them all, biting his lip and trying to weed out shreds of truth. A librarian walks past walks past at one point and gives him a long disapproving look for the spread of Harry Styles articles in front of him, so Liam tells her he's writing an essay on the moral decline of society and her glare turns into a warm smile.

The more Liam reads, the more outraged letters to the editor about why the police refuse to arrest Harry, the more he worries. The rumors don't name any names, but one piece claims to have seen a man the paper refers to as the _owner of a den of sin_ leave Harry's in the dead of night and Liam thinks _Zayn_ and his heart does something he doesn't understand.

It's not that Liam is opposed to the whole youth rebellion, it's not that he doesn't get it, the music and the fashion and the burning need to not be their parents, to set their own rules and morals. He does get, he agrees with a lot of it, actually, but that doesn't mean he's ready to start drinking in an illegal club, and that doesn't mean he's not really worried about all of this. About Louis, mostly. Because Louis is. The thing with Louis is that-

They've never really talked about it, Liam wouldn't know what words to use if they did, but there have been all these times, and all these moments, and it's as if they have. It's when they're at a film and Louis leans over and whispers that he's heard that the star lives with _his male partner_ and _isn't that something, Liam?_

It's when Louis is reading up on the Greeks for his philosophy seminar and he calls across their tiny room that _did you know, Liam? They held orgies with men and women in them? Can you believe that's actually in this book? Did you know that?_ and then he grins to himself, almost sort of wistful while Liam is still flushing at the word _orgy_.

It's when, during winter of junior year, Louis whisper over in the dark,

"Why don't you ever date anyone?" and Liam says,

"Busy with my studies,"

"No, what's the actual reason?" Louis says, quiet and low and serious,

"That is the reason. That and I'm supposed to start dating my mother's friends daughter as soon I get out of school anyway. So what would the point be?" Liam says.

"To be young and have fun like almost every other person on this campus?" Louis suggests.

"You don't date either!" Liam says.

"And you know why," Louis says, and then he turns over in his bed and doesn't say another word for the rest of the night.

And Liam does know. He also knows that Louis likes to think the world is changing, and maybe it is, but Liam doesn't think it's changing as much as Louis wants it to. He also knows that, and this is the harder part, he also knows that it says something, that there is something about the way they're friends, about all the things he and Louis have shared over the years, something about the way his skin flushes under Louis' fingers, something about it that says something about _Liam_. He knows that too, he just has no idea what to do about it.

It's not just that their friendship is one that still surprises him, the strange match of how Louis likes people as a rule but hates a lot of them as individuals and Liam finds himself getting along with almost everyone but finds people as concept sort of terrifying. It's not just that Liam knows, not just the countless whispered conversations in the dark, not just the way Liam feels sometimes around Louis, like his heart might fly up through his throat. It's not just that Liam is terrified for Louis right now, terrified he'll get his heart crushed, or that he's equally, selfishly, terrified it will somehow go well and he'll lose him forever.

It's maybe all down to when things happen that Liam tries to push out of his mind, like a few months ago when they'd been up late during finals and Louis had put a record and said they should dance for a minute, a quick study break that had lasted several songs, breathing the same air and so close together and full of so much.

Liam takes several gulps of coffee and stares at the articles in front of him and worries.

***

Louis goes three more times before Liam's worrying gets the better of him and he agrees to go along. The whole walk over Louis is bouncing, excited and full of even more words about Harry and telling Liam that Zayn asked about him. Liam just tries to make himself keep walking. Niall greets them like they've been friends for years at the door, and they slip in to jazz already playing and smoke everywhere. Louis leads him to a corner booth that looks nicer than all the other tables, Harry is already there and looks delighted to see them.

"You two haven't officially met!" Louis says, sliding in next to Harry and motioning for Liam to sit across from him.

"We haven't!" Harry says, warm and with sparkling eyes and nothing like an orgy-hosting criminal should be.

"Harry, this is Liam, Liam, this is Harry," Louis says.

"I've heard such good things," Harry says, reaching out to shake Liam's hand.

"Same here," Liam says, shaking Harry's hand back. There's a weight on Liam's seat then, and then a voice.

"You're back," Zayn says, sliding in beside Liam

"I am," Liam says, eyes widening as drinks are brought to their table, "we didn't order those."

"You didn't have to," Zayn says.

"We have friends in high places now, Liam," Louis says.

"Friends?" Liam echoes, and he can't help the way his mind screams, _criminals_.

"I had them water yours down just a little, I saw you wincing last time," Zayn says, leaning close into Liam, whispering in his ear and sliding a drink into his hand. Liam swallows and then, because he can't help himself, he turns to look at Zayn, up close and in his space, smiling at him. Zayn is, Liam swallows again because this close, in this slightly better lighting, he's noticing things he hadn't before, one of which is that Zayn is not just dark-haired, the other is that Zayn makes him need to shift in his seat a little because- Liam thinks he could look at him forever. He really, really doesn't know if he can handle this. At all.

"Doors are locked for the night, lot of tourists out there tonight," Niall announces, coming up to them and swinging into a chair at the end of the booth.

"Thank you," Zayn says, passing Niall a fifth drink that Liam doesn't know how he hadn't noticed before.

"Good crowd already, anyway," Niall observes, "and Liam's back!"

"I finally convinced him," Louis says. Liam stares at the table to avoid looking at Zayn and stirs his drink around with his hand, the ice clicking together.

"It's good to have you," Harry says, like he's been looking forward to this, like they're all friends playing cards, like he's not a criminal. Liam shakes his head in a way that isn't really yes or no, and he feels Louis kick his foot under the table.

"Liam wants to know your reasons, H," Zayn says, but soft and serious like it's a real question and not like he's making fun of Liam for asking.

"Do you?" Harry asks.

"I," Liam manages.

"Please convince Liam you're not evil so we can all have a good night, would you?" Louis asks. Liam kicks him.

"Prohibition is class war, it unfairly victimizes the working class of this country, it's unfair, and I've never been good at just sitting back and letting things happen," Harry says.

"Our Harry has a heart of gold," Zayn says.

"He really cares about the common people," Niall says. Harry grins at both of them.

"I was out protesting, campaigning in the streets, and everyone was spouting bible quotes and false statistics back, and I thought, if a law is wrong, you should break it," Harry says. Liam tries to wrap his head around that, around the logical leap from protest to law breaking, the jump between wanting something to change and becoming a criminal.

"So you're breaking the law, but with good intentions?" Liam asks.

"Liam!" Louis says, but Harry grins again.

"I don't shoot people, I don't rob banks or kidnap people, I'm not a bad guy, I promise," Harry says. Liam bites his lip, but nods.

"Okay," Liam says. He takes a tentative sip of his drink, still worried, still pretty certain he can't do this. The band starts up a new song and Harry beams and tugs on Louis' sleeve.

"This one is ours," Harry says, and Louis smiles back at him, brighter than Liam has ever seen him smile, and they slide out of the booth on to the dance floor.

"That's sweet," Niall says, as if he sees this sort of thing all the time, as if it's all okay, as if the world really has changed as much as Louis wants it to.

"Can they, here?" Liam asks, turning to Zayn and trying not to stare.

"My place, my rules," Zayn says.

"Oh," Liam says.

"We only let in people we know," Niall puts in.

"You still worried?" Zayn asks, and Liam thinks, _yes_ but says,

"I don't know."

"Worried about what?" Niall asks. There is a knock at the door then, low but urgent, and Zayn nods and Niall gets up to go see to it.

"Should I worry about that?" Liam asks.

"That's a good knock," Zayn says. Liam takes another small sip of his drink and tries to find where Louis and Harry have disappeared to on the dance floor.

"I um, did some reading about Harry in the papers," Liam says. Zayn raises an eyebrow and pulls that same silver cigarette case out of his pocket.

"Worried you will be invited to the orgy or that you won't?" Zayn asks. Liam chokes on his drink a little.

"What?"

"Whoa there, I was kidding. No orgies. Seriously, Harry is the nicest guy around, and he seems to be a big fan of your friend there," Zayn says.

"Oh," Liam says. He picks up his drink and takes the biggest gulp he's managed yet, feeling Zayn's eyes on him the whole time. He winces at the burning in his throat and stares at his rapidly melting ice and tries not to flush. Zayn smirks a little and reaches into his pocket and pulls out a rectangular object that Liam assumes to be that same cigarette case until he looks properly and sees that it's a deck of cards. Zayn raises an eyebrow at him like it's a question and Liam takes another gulp of his drink, swallowing hard. "You can't possibly have time for that," Liam says, glancing at the cards.

"I have to make sure my guests are happy," Zayn says. He opens the flap on the cards and slides them into his hand, shuffling them a little like he wants to make sure Liam's eyes are on his hands. Not that that's ever an issue, Liam mostly has trouble _not_ watching Zayn's hands. He can't figure it out, because he has yet to actually pay for anything and he gets the feeling there are important people here and Zayn should probably really be paying attention to them and not sitting in a corner with him.

"There are a lot of other guests here," Liam says.

"They all seem pretty happy already," Zayn says, not even bothering to glance around, to pretend he's looking at anyone but Liam. He puts the cards down on the table and raises his eyebrow again and Liam thinks of a thousands things he should ask. He thinks of a thousand protests, he thinks of a thousands things he's wondering about Zayn and about all of this- Zayn is like this riddle that Liam cannot puzzle through, that he isn't even positive there is an answer to.

"You don't need to babysit me," Liam says, because part of him feels a little sad here, feels like Zayn feels like he has to pay special attention to the pathetic guy in the corner. Then, because cards, actually, are something he can do, he slides his hand over the cards and picks them up, shuffling and dealing ten to each of them, raising his eyebrow right back at Zayn.

***

By the time last call is announced, Liam has won thirteen games of gin in a row and Zayn's smirks and raised eyebrows have been replaced with something close to wonder, and the small crowd that has gathered around them seems to agree.

***

"You are coming with me tonight, right?" Louis asks the next night over soup and the novel Liam should really have read by morning.

"I should get some work done," Liam says.

"You have to come," Louis says.

"Why?"

"Because I promised Zayn I'd make you come?" Louis offers, grinning like he has a secret around his spoon.

"Why does Zayn care if I'm there or not?" Liam asks, frowning.

"I don't know, maybe you should come find out," Louis says. Liam shuts his books and looks across the table.

"What are we doing?" he asks. Louis shrugs.

"I don't know yet," Louis says. Liam frowns and wonders how many chapters he can get in before they leave and how many hands he'll be able to win that night and if playing cards with criminals makes him a criminal by proxy.

***

There is a scuffle at the door large enough that Niall has to pull Zayn away and Liam is left alone for long enough that he starts to panic a little. The longer Zayn is away, the more convinced he is that they're all about to be arrested or shot by the rivals he's sure Zayn and Harry must have or something equally terrible. In an effort to calm his nerves he gets up from their table and heads off in search of Harry and Louis. They're leaning against a wall when he finds them, bodies almost touching as they talk.

"And these tiny little metal boxes flying across the ocean, the whole ocean. If we can fly, then all sorts of other things have to be possible," Harry is saying when Liam gets close enough to hear.

"The sky is the limit," Louis says, grinning and then looking up to see Liam, "Hi, Liam."

"I don’t want to interrupt," Liam says. Louis shakes his head rapidly and Harry gives him that warm smile again,

"I've been wanting to talk to you more," Harry says.

"You have?" Liam asks.

"Louis says such good things about you," Harry says, still smiling.

"He's lying, I never mention you at all," Louis says, reaching a hand out tug on Liam's hair a little as he does. Harry smiles and takes a step that brings all three of them closer together and Liam feels himself turning a little red and this is not why he came over here at all.

"I um, there was a thing at the door?" Liam says, because he's still worried.

"A thing?" Harry echoes.

"Niall had to get Zayn and he's been gone for awhile now and I really don't want to get arrested," Liam says. He expects Harry and Louis to look a little worried at that too, but they don't, Harry's smile just changes a little and he says,

"Sometimes Zayn just has to make sure this place stays the way it is, that's all."

"I don't know what that means," Liam says.

"People don't always like getting turned away, but it's how it is," Harry says. Liam bites his lip.

"Can I ask you something?" Liam asks.

"Ask away," Harry says. Louis is looking between the two of them, smiling more with every minute Liam isn't calling Harry a criminal.

"You said the other night that you do, this, because of the unfairness of it all and how prohibition is a class thing," Liam says, voicing something that's been swimming in his head for awhile now. Of all his questions about Harry this is one that seems the least dangerous.

"Right," Harry says.

"But this, here, I mean, is so elite? It's not for everyone at all?" Liam asks. Harry nods and smiles brighter as if Liam has asked a really, really good question.

"I don't only distribute to Zayn, he's just my favorite, and I like it here the most," Harry says.

"Why?" Liam asks.

"Why is Zayn my favorite or why do I like it here the most?" Harry asks.

"Both," Liam says.

"Because he's Zayn, and because the rules here are just, better," Harry says. Liam nods.

"Okay. I wasn't trying to call you a hypocrite, I was just wondering," Liam says.

"I know, and you're allowed," Harry says, then he reaches a hand out and nudges Liam in the stomach a little as if they've been friends for years and says, "Louis isn't the only one who says good things about you, by the way."

"What?" Liam asks.

"I told him Zayn made me promise I'd get him here," Louis says, bouncing a little.

"I heard it. I've heard some other things too," Harry says.

"I don't understand," Liam says. Harry shrugs.

"You should ask Zayn," He says.

"Ask me what?" Zayn says, coming up behind them and startling Liam so much that he makes an embarrassing sort of gulping noise. He makes it again when Zayn puts a hand on the small of his back like he's trying to steady him.

"Liam was worried about the thing at the door Niall called you away for," Louis says smoothly.

"Some people just don't like being told 'no,'" Zayn says, and his hand is still on Liam, just resting there, warm through Liam's jacket. He's pretty sure all his blood is rushing to the spot and it's making him dizzy.

"That’s what I told him," Harry says. Zayn smiles at him.

"You two should come watch Liam beat me at gin rummy," Zayn says. Harry and Louis both nod and Liam feels himself being led back to the table where he does, in fact, beat Zayn. Three times.

***

Two nights later, when it's so late that it's almost morning, Louis whispers across their room in the dark,

"Liam?"

"Louis?" Liam says.

"Nothing," Louis says, "you asked what we were doing, what I was doing, with Harry and all of it. Nothing."

"Nothing?" Liam asks.

"Dancing, talking, drinking, mostly talking, more dancing, nothing, yet," Louis says.

"Okay," Liam says.

"You and I do all that," Louis says, but his voice is questioning and full of something soft that makes Liam roll over on his bed to face Louis in the dark.

"We do," Liam agrees, "Mostly the talking."

"Mostly," Louis agrees, "So far."

"So far?"

"Would it, if it was more than that, if I wanted it to be, would that be okay?" Louis asks.

"With who? Me?" Liam asks.

"Yes with you," Louis says. Liam thinks _"of course but that doesn't mean I'm not worried about you"_ and also _"It would be but I think I'd also be jealous,_ " But he doesn't say either of them. What he says instead is simply,

"It would be."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, would it be okay with you?" Liam asks. He hears Louis shift in his bed before answering.

"Do you ever think, when you're sitting in lecture or reading headlines and everything is cars and airplanes and women voting and new music and new everything and so much change everywhere, and you feel like everything is so different that maybe nothing has to be the same anymore?" Louis asks.

"I guess?" Liam says, like he always does when Louis says things like this, about the whole world changing. He doesn't know how to argue, how to say he thinks that's overly hopeful. After all, there are planes crossing the ocean, Harry's not wrong about that.

"Harry makes me feel like that every minute that I'm with him, I think it has to be what flying feels like, all that possibility all that hope. I want to keep it," Louis says. Liam smiles a little in the dark. Louis can be awfully good with words when he wants to be.

"It's dangerous," Liam says.

"I know," Louis says.

"But I'm glad you feel that way," Liam says. Louis shifts in bed again, and with the raising sun that is starting to peak in through their window, Liam can see him lift up one arm.

"I've never really wanted the things I was supposed to want," Louis says. Liam nods.

"You want Harry?"

"I do," Louis says.

"Then I really hope you get him, that it goes like you want it to," Liam says.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, you know that right?" Louis asks.

"I do," Liam says.

"And I want us to stay that way, no matter what," Louis says.

"Me too," Liam says, "I want that too."

"Yeah? What else to do you want?"

"What do you mean?" Liam asks.

"I heard Niall say you could be a professional card shark if you wanted, not to mention what Zayn thinks of you," Louis says.

"I don't want to play cards for a living," Liam says.

"And Zayn?"

"I don't know," Liam says.

"Promise me I'll be the first to know when you do?" Louis asks.

"I promise," Liam says.

***

Liam starts scouting the paper for news of Harry by name or Zayn by description, and every single time it makes his blood pressure rise in anger, makes it absolutely boil. He's still not sure why Zayn does what he does, and he still doesn’t know what Harry is into, if it's Louis of if it's ten women at once, but they're both so much better than the papers say, and Liam hates so much that people think this way about them.

***

"Can I ask you a question?" Liam says one night, two drinks and three winning hands into the evening.

"Yes," Zayn says, lighting a cigarette, "if it will delay me another crushing defeat, you can ask dozens."

"Have you just been letting me win?" Liam asks. It's not what he meant to ask, but it's the first thing that comes out.

"I'm really not that nice," Zayn says.

"So if you're not losing on purpose, but you lose every time, why do we keep playing?" Liam asks.

"Why do you think?" Zayn asks.

"You like losing?" Liam suggests. Zayn smirks.

"I like the company," Zayn says.

"Oh," Liam says, trying, but failing miserably, not to blush.

"It hurts my pride a little, but you've also stopped looking at me like I might hold you at gunpoint any minute. So I guess I feel like I'm winning something else," Zayn says.

"Something else?"

"You don't even flinch at door knocks anymore, and you laugh at all Niall's jokes, and you don't seem as worried about Harry and Louis," Zayn says.

"And that's winning?" Liam asks.

"In a way," Zayn says. Liam bites his lip,

"I have another question," Liam says.

"Okay."

"Why do you do this at all? Harry told me his," Liam says. Zayn takes a long slow drag on his cigarette and looks thoughtful.

"I've never been good at doing what I was supposed to, at accepting the way things are," Zayn says.

"At wanting what you're supposed to want?" Liam questions, startled at the similarities to what Louis had said, startled at the idea that maybe all five of them want the same things, or don't want them, rather.

"Exactly," Zayn says, smiling, "and if I wasn't in charge of something like this, if I didn't run a place like this, I'd never run anything at all, I'd have bosses who had ten bosses, I'd never be able to, even getting hired would be really hard, but here, this is all mine," Zayn says.

"Oh," Liam says, and he feels sort of terrible that he's never fully thought that through and made that connection, that it's never occurred to him. Maybe it should have.

"And Harry is right, we're not breaking a law that's good here, we're not actually doing anything wrong, and what I have here is good. I think so, anyway," Zayn says. Liam nods.

"I do too," Liam says.

"Really?" Zayn asks.

"Really," Liam says.

"Since when?" Zayn asks, putting out his cigarette and taking a long sip of his drink, studying Liam the whole time.

"Do you ever- Louis said this thing the other night that was a lot like what you said, about the things we're supposed to want," Liam says.

"What about them?" Zayn says.

"Everything is changing, the whole world, airplanes over the ocean and impossible things, and this place feels like the future. It feels like how things could be someday," Liam says. Zayn grins around his drink and slides closer to Liam, close enough that their legs are touching, closer than he's ever been. Liam breathes him in, lets himself feel how close they are.

"You sound like Harry," Zayn says.

"It's true," Liam says, then, because Zayn brought up Harry and because they're sitting so close he hears himself say, "I've read stories in the paper about Harry, and um, you."

"Oh?" Zayn says, eyebrows raised.

"Um, I, gossip columns and things that say, that imply you and Harry-" Liam stops.

"Are criminals and generally terrible people?" Zayn suggests.

"No. Well, yes. But, I meant, they also- that you, leave his place at all hours. Um, night hours?" Liam says, hoping his flush and hand gesture gets his message across. Zayn's eyebrows shoot higher than Liam has ever seen them and he says,

"Do they really? I've never seen that," Zayn says.

"They do," Liam says.

"Are you trying to ask me if it's true?" Zayn asks.

"Yes?" Liam says. Zayn bites his lip and looks a little like he's afraid he might scare Liam away, and Liam feels bad so he adds, "Sometimes in our apartment Louis and I dance. Together. To slow music. I know it's not, a scandal or anything, but, I'm already okay with the criminal thing, at least mostly, and Louis and Harry are doing, well, I don't know, but they don't either and Louis has said, and I-" Liam stops because he doesn't actually know where he is going with that, but Zayn looks like he feels a little better about it anyway.

"I don't think Harry wants anyone but Louis to be in his house late at night ever again," Zayn says.

"Louis would like that," Liam says, then he adds, "when I was worried about Harry, you were never worried Louis was a secret cop or something?"

"I liked him right away. You can just tell with some people," Zayn says, shrugging. He's shifted even closer to Liam now, and Liam swallows.

"You didn't really answer," Liam says.

"Does it matter?" Zayn asks.

"Yes," Liam says.

"Why?"

"Because I need to know, if, I mean, I guess if it was true it's not anymore because of what you just said about Louis, but, if you weren't then, I just want to know why you keep losing at gin rummy and why I've never paid for a drink and why Niall keeps smiling at me like he does and I," Liam finishes. The combination of winning and alcohol and how open Zayn is being, for Zayn anyway, is making his head swim and his words come out in a rush. Zayn beams at him, out right beams.

"It was true once or twice, but not in a very long time," Zayn says, "I live upstairs, this whole building is mine, and I love it, but sometimes I need to be somewhere else. It hasn't been, I haven't gone for a reason other than that in a long time."

"Oh," Liam says, "Harry told me once you talk about me a lot."

"He might have been right," Zayn says.

"Why?" Liam asks.

"I want you here," Zayn says, he slides a hand onto Liam's knee as he does, and Liam swallows, "is that okay?" Zayn asks. Liam's head swims again, he's still in so far over his head, he still has so many things he supposed to do, this still isn't a thing that makes sense outside of these walls, outside of whispered conversations with Louis in the dark of their room, outside of some of the corners of Liam's brain, but he thinks that it is okay, here anyway. Tonight, anyway.

"Yes," Liam says, and Zayn grins and leans in even closer, "I don't know what to do about it being okay, but yes."

"I can think of a few things," Zayn says, with a smirk Liam feels rather sees because of how close to Liam's ear Zayn's lips have gotten.

"I meant a little longer term than that, but," Liam says, and then, in the single bravest moment of life so far he turns is head and lets his eyes lock with Zayn's. There is a questioning eyebrow raise again, and Liam's head nods and then there are lips against his, and his heart is attempting to escape his chest at the feeling.

"I could do that long term," Zayn says pulling back just a little, still close enough that Liam can feel his breath.

"Still not what I meant," Liam says, but he smiles and leans in again.

By the end of that night they've leaned so far down the booth that Zayn is on top of him and their legs are slotted and Liam's brain is burning away his thoughts completely.

***

They fall asleep as soon as they get home, but in the morning over breakfast Liam tells Louis that he very much wants Zayn, and Louis' eyes light up when he smiles back,

"I think Harry was hinting I should move in," Louis says.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Liam says, thinking about what Zayn had said.

"It's um, more than nothing," Louis says.

"I assumed that much. Would you?" Liam asks.

"Would I move in?"

"Yes."

"In a heartbeat," Louis says.

***

Three days later Zayn beats him at cards for the first time, but he has a hand on Liam's thigh the whole time and he laughs when Liam tells him he is pretty sure that's cheating. That same night they walk into Zayn's office to grab more cigarettes for Zayn and find it very, very occupied by Harry and Louis.

The whole thing should be ridiculous, the other man's hand on his thigh and the speakeasy and the cigarettes and the friends with criminals and the walking in on Harry and Louis not even close to dressed and the way they just laugh at it like it's an everyday sort of thing and the way Niall tells them all that they're good for each other and the way Liam can still taste Zayn's lips when he lays down at night- it's not life. It's not how things are, but it's intoxicating, more so than any amount of alcohol, and Liam thinks he might be lost in it, thinks he might not want to figure out how to get back out.

***

"I'm moving in with Harry after graduation," Louis says as they both work on their last papers of their college lives.

"What are you going to tell your family?" Liam asks.

"I'm not," Louis says.

"Oh," Liam says.

"He's worth it," Louis says, humming to himself as he looks something up in a large textbook. Liam wants to ask, even after all this time, what would happen if there was ever trouble with the law and what if there is any truth to any of those stories and what if someone slipped past Niall one night and what if a million things, but he actually, looking at Louis, thinks he knows exactly what he means, knows exactly how he feels.

***

All five of them are sitting at their table the night after Liam and Louis graduate, toasting to their academic achievement and passing small gifts to both of them. The band is playing something upbeat, the singer's voice husky, and the drinks are sweeter than usual, probably for Liam's benefit, and the whole night does feel like what Louis had said, does feel like Liam imagines flying a plane must be like. It's terrifying and miraculous and wonderful and infinite all at once, it's a rush of feelings that leaves him dizzy.

"Have you ever thought about getting bigger names in here, music-wise?" Liam asks, turning to Zayn.

"What?" Zayn asks.

"These guys are fantastic, but wouldn't it be something to have a huge name, just for the people you select? I've read they do that, some of the big acts," Liam says. Across the table Niall catches his eye and beams at him like he knows where this is going.

"Why would they come to a place like this?" Zayn asks.

"Harry's a big deal, and there is something about being somewhere exclusive, and you two together make more than enough to pay someone, right?" Liam asks.

"They pay me more than fairly," Niall says, grinning at both Harry and Zayn.

"And I'll be working soon, and I could contribute to something since I don't have to buy a house or anything," Louis says, smiling.

"I told you don't have to, I can take care of us," Harry says.

"I told you I want to, I need to," Louis says. Harry smiles fondly and tucks himself into Louis so their limbs are overlapping in multiple places.

"Okay, but who has time to arrange all that?" Zayn asks.

"I was thinking I would," Liam says, and all four people at the table break out into overly large smiles at that and Zayn grabs at his shirt and bunches the fabric in a way that promise a lot of time with hands under the shirt to come.

"Yeah?" Zayn asks.

"If you wanted," Liam says, "I have time now, and I'd contact them all and screen them and run final word past you, of course."

"You should probably live close for that," Harry says.

"He should live very close, don't you think, Zayn?" Louis says.

"Just up the stairs even," Niall says.

"You are all so helpful," Zayn says, flushed but not looking even a little mad.

"I could do that too, if you wanted," Liam says, and he's struck by his own boldness, by the way he's pretty sure he just hired himself and invited himself to move in. Zayn is looking at him like it's the best thing he's ever heard anyone say in his life, though, so it's worth it.

"If you do, then I do," Zayn says. Liam nods, and Zayn leans in to kiss him quickly, something that should be very weird considering there are three sets of eyes on them, but it's not at all.

It's this place, Liam thinks, it makes all of this possible. He still terrified and he doesn't know what any of it means of if it's actually realistic at all, if they can do this, if he can stay here and not go home and get married and work for his father's company, but he wants it. He wants it, and he thinks that the more time he spends here, living here and working here and being here with Zayn and with Louis and Harry and Niall, the more it becomes realistic.

It is, he thinks, like Zayn had once said, his place and his rules, and if they have to be here for these to be the rules of the world, if he has to be here for it to be okay for Harry to have shifted again so he's on Louis' lap and for Zayn to be running his hands over the seam in Liam's pants and for Niall to be beaming at all of them around his drink, well, if he has to be here for that, then he'll just stay here forever.

It has to be easier than flying across the ocean.

 


End file.
